The invention relates to a (cuboid-shaped) package for a group of cigarette packs which is surrounded by an outer wrapper made of foldable packaging material such as paper, foil, thin cardboard.
Packages for cigarettesxe2x80x94so-called cigarette cartonsxe2x80x94are large packages consisting of a plurality of individual cigarette packs. One very widespread type of package consists of ten cigarette packs which are divided into two rows. The cigarette packs of one row lie with their front or rear side against the cigarette packs of the adjacent row. The contents of the package so arranged are held together by an outer wrapper made of foldable packaging material, primarily paper or thin cardboard in the case of packages for cigarettes.
The ease of opening of such packages is in need of improvement, in particular for retailers in case the entire contents of the package is to be removed and, for example, inserted in a vending machine.
The object underlying the invention, therefore, is to provide a package of the type mentioned initially with an opening aid which when used makes the access to the package contents easier. In addition, the purpose underlying the invention is to propose a method and device which are suitable for the mechanical attachment of the opening aid to the package.
In achieving this stated object the package according to the invention is characterized by the following features:
a) the group of cigarette packs is surrounded on all sides by the outer wrapper,
b) the cigarette packs are arranged in (two) rows of packs in such a way that a continuous separation plane is formed between the two rows of packs,
c) the separation plane extends in the region of side walls of the outer wrapper,
d) the side wall exhibits a weakened line, in particular a perforated line,
e) the weakened or perforated line extends in the region of the separation plane of the pack rows (approximately) along the full length of the side wall.
A package of the preferred embodiment has an extended cuboid-shaped form, with a large-surface front and rear side, narrow long side walls and with small end walls formed by folding. According to the invention, the perforated line extends along at least one of the side walls, with said wall exclusively exhibiting the perforated line which runs in the longitudinal direction of the side wall.
The perforated line ensures quick and easy access to the total contents of the package. The perforated line can be split along its full length by manual intervention. Thus the total contents of the package are immediately exposed for removal.
The method according to the invention is such that a continuous web of material for the outer wrapper is provided with transversely-directed weakened or perforated lines, which preferably are centered on the material web and end at a distance from the side edges of the material web, and that following the correctly positioned application of the weakened or perforated line the blanks are severed from the material web.
The device according to the invention for the manufacture of packs or blanks for the outer wrapper is equipped with a perforation tool arranged in the region of a perforation station which applies the perforated line, specifically during a temporary standstill phase of the material web, either by means of a perforation tool which can be moved back and forth transversely to the material web or by means of a perforation blade, which applies the complete perforated line in a single working stroke.